This invention relates to a method of sanitizing a toilet bowl. More particularly, it relates to a method wherein a hypochlorite sanitizing agent and a water-soluble dye which is resistant to attack by hypochlorite are automatically dispensed from separate dispensing means to the toilet bowl during flushing. The water in the bowl at the end of the flush is colored by the dye, and because of the dye's resistance to attack by hypochlorite, the bowl water remains colored during the time interval between flushes.
Automatically dispensed toilet bowl cleaning and/or sanitizing products, which contain dyes to provide a visual signal to the user that product is being dispensed, are well known. Such products are sold in the United States under the brand names VANISH AUTOMATIC (Drackett Products), TY-D-BOL AUTOMATIC (Knomark, Inc.) and SANIFLUSH AUTOMATIC (Boyle-Midway). All of these products contain dyes which provide a color to the toilet bowl water which persists between flushes, however, none of them contain a hypochlorite sanitizing agent or any other type of strong oxidant.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,504,384, Radley et al., issued Apr. 7, 1970, discloses a dual compartment dispenser for automatically dispensing a hypochlorite solution and a surfactant/dye solution to the toilet bowl during flushing. The dye which is taught in the patent is Disulfide Blue VN150. It is believed that the dye referred to in Radley et al. is actually Disulphine Blue VN150 (Color Index No. 42045). This dye has been found to be resistant to oxidation to a colorless state by hypochlorite. However, this dye has a tendency to change from a blue to a reddish purple color upon prolonged contact with hypochlorite.
A persistent color in the toilet bowl water is aesthetically pleasing. Moreover, when the dispensing of hypochlorite and dye into the toilet are properly coordinated with each other so that dye is only dispensed when hypochlorite is dispensed, the color in the bowl water serves to assure the consumer that the bowl is being sanitized, as intended.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method of automatically sanitizing a toilet bowl with each flush.
Another object of the invention is to provide visual color which persists in the toilet bowl water between flushes, i.e. the color is not bleached to a colorless state or oxidized to a different color between flushes.
Another object of the invention is to provide, by a visual color signal, a means by which the consumer will know when a new supply of sanitizing agent needs to be provided for the toilet.
Another object of the invention is to provide an article of manufacture which is designed for carrying out the method of the invention.